The Unexpectedly Large Census Count in 2000 and Its Implications

Publication Abstract

Farley, Reynolds. 2001. "The Unexpectedly Large Census Count in 2000 and Its Implications." PSC Research Report No. 01-467. February 2001.

In December 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau announced a surprisingly large count for residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia--2.6 million more people than expected on the basis of the 1990 enumeration adjusted for undercount. This short paper explores how changes made for the Census of 2000 may have significantly improved the enumeration; why the count was so much larger than expected; and why adjusting census data for undercounts may still be a good idea.